Shank iron for boots and shoes



March 31, 1931. SELBY 1,798,173

SHANK IRON FOR BOOTS AND SHOES Filed Oct. 12, 1929 awwemtoz Roger A 5elbg 35% bio fl r tomm Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNETED STATES titans ROGER A. SELBY, OF PORTSMOUTH, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE SELBY SHOE COMPANY,

OF PORTSMOUTH, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO SHANK IRON FOR BOOTS AND SHOES Application filed October 12, 1929. Serial No. 399,160.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to provide a shank iron constructed and arranged to form a rigid longitudinal arch member for a shoe which will provide an extremely narrow waist line or mid-section for the said lon gitudinal arch of the shoe. To provide a rigid support for disposal ad acent the 1nseam and the welt of a shoe and upper edge of the shank thereof; and to provide means for augmenting the rigidity and strength of the longitudinal arch of a shoe while preserving the delicate and graceful lines thereof.

Drawinga-Figure 1 is abottom plan vlew of the shank iron constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention, showing by broken lines in conjunction therewith the relation of the shoe structure thereto.

Figure 2 is a cross section of the shank iron shown in Figure 1, the section being taken as on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section of the shank iron, the section being taken as on the line 3-8 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross section of the shank iron, the section being taken as on the line 1-4 in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross section of the shank iron,

the section being taken as on the line 55 in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a cross section of the shank iron, the section being taken as on the line 66 in Figure l.

Descriptiom-As shown in the drawing, the shank iron 10 extends lengthwise of a shoe from the heel-seat 11 to the ball portion 12 thereof, and is provided lengthwise and at one edge with a raised and slightly extended flange 13 designed to conform to the curvature of and to overlie the inseam 14 of a shoe. Midway of the length of the shank iron, the metal is cut away until the inner edge 15 thereof is substantially in line with the vertical ridge section 16 as is seen best in Figure 4 of the drawings. The relation of the body 17 having the edge 15, the flange 18, and the connecting ridge section 16, is best seen in Figures 3, 4: and 5. Figures 3, i and 5 have been placed in alignment to best illustrate the relative narrowing of the body 17 and the uniform size of the flange 13."

Also in the same lineis'shown a cross section of the end of the shank iron 10 at the forward end thereof, while the portion that overlies the heel-seatll is shown in Figure 6.

In the construction of shoes, and more particularly in the construction of ladies shoes, it is often desired to constrict the mid-portion of the shank of a shoe. This imparts a delicate and graceful line or formation to the bottom of the shoe. It is, however, desirable that the shank of the shoe should be rigid for the purpose of preventing the flexure or subsidence of the arch of the foot. This, in the present case, is provided for by a construction embodying a rigid section 16 disposed, as shown, adjacent the inseam 14 of a shoe at the outer edge thereof. This arrangement and disposition places the resistance of the shank iron beneath the foot of the wearer of the shoe at the point where the weight is imposed on the shank of the shoe; or, 1n other words, adjacent the outer side of the foot.

In practice, and when a shoe is being man ufactured, the shank iron herein disclosed is disposed substantially, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, upon the inseam 14 with the contracted or constricted mid-section on the shank iron between the inseam let at the point of closest approximation. When so disposed, the usual filler is spread over the shank iron and between the inseams 14 of the shoe, as in the approved methods of manufacture. After the wearing sole has been placed in position and the heel secured thereon, it will be found that the shoe has the desired feature, above referred to, of a narrow waistline, and in this manner secured to the shoe another desired feature, to wit: a glove-fit for the fleshy portion of the foot at the inner side thereof.

I claim:

A shoe having a shank iron as characterized comprising a body portion extending between the heel seat and the ball portion of the shoe, said body portion embodying at one side thereof a ridge section extended lengthwise approximately between the heel seat and ball portion of the shoe, said ridge section having a flange to underlie the inseam of said shoe at the outer side thereof, the remainder of the body portion of said shank iron being approximately parallel with said heel seat and said ball portion of said shoe, said body portion being flared adjacent said ball portion and said heel seat, and the intermediate section of said body portion being cut away on a curved line, the n ediuin portion thereof closely approximating the said ridge section whereby a strengthening member is provided having an extremely narrow midseo tion reduced in Width to substantially that of the ridge section in order to permit the upper of said shoe to be drawn tightly under the instep of thefoot.

ROGER A. SELBY. 

